


Apart

by Lynette_TheMadScientist



Category: OFF (Game)
Genre: Angst, Batter's POV, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-15 06:54:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29555235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lynette_TheMadScientist/pseuds/Lynette_TheMadScientist
Summary: The Batter is desperately in love with his Player and is tortured by the reality that he can never express his feelings to her.Originally posted March 27th 2019.
Relationships: The Batter/The Player
Kudos: 14





	Apart

The 34th playthrough. That’s where he was.

She always came back to the game.

He never stayed in limbo for long it seemed.

She always came back.

And he knew it was for him.

Though he couldn’t hear her voice, the strings that bound him to her as her puppet meant he could feel her intentions. He could feel the concern and possibly even affection she had for him.

It made his heart ache.

He could never return those feelings. He could never respond. He could only carry out his holy mission. Again. And again. And again.

Each time was more painful than the last.

He had tried to deny the softening of his heart at first. Tried to avoid it. For the sake of his mission, it would be easier if his heart was hardened towards any feeling.

But he couldn’t ignore it. She was the only one in this depraved and sickening world that felt pure to him. Pure in her intentions and pure in her affection for him.

At first he tried to reason that he simply admired her divinity.

But it was more than that. She was the only being that made him feel like he wasn’t alone. That made him feel like he was more than just his purpose. That made him feel loved.

It wasn’t long after he realized this that his mission felt more and more empty to him. It was the same every time. It was pointless.

The only thing that mattered anymore was the thrum of soft emotions traveling down the strings into his body, needling at his heart.

He couldn’t send such feelings back along those strings. He could never affect her body and soul the way she impacted his.

His heart felt like it was filled with poison.

He just wanted to stay in limbo. To hide from the agony.

So that he might not live through this pain. That he might sleep through it instead. And find peace in nonexistence.

Every time he flipped the switch he hoped she wouldn’t come back. That she would move on.

But she always came back.

Here he was in Zone 2 again. Walking through the library at her supplication; trying to muster to courage to ask his puppeteer for some respite.

[Batter: Y/N]

He sensed hesistation and slight confusion traveling through his strings. This wasn’t part of the game.

[Batter: I have a request.]

[Batter: When I’ve completed my mission, please do not return to the game.]

Fear and anguish now shot through the strands, piercing his heart. He flinched.

A text box appeared above him.

[Player: Why?? I want to keep playing. If I don’t play I’ll never see you again]

The strands tightened and he felt the player begin to cry.

The Batter’s knees started to buckle.

[Batter: Please…don’t make this more difficult than it already is…]

[Player: At least tell me why]

[Batter: No.]

The Batter straightened. He would stay strong to the end. He will complete his mission one last time. Just once more.

[Player: Please]

He hesitated. Responding would be useless. He could talk for hours but that wouldn’t change the fact that he could never make her understand how he felt. He could never touch her. Never embrace her. He could never be of any use to her. He was built for a singular purpose. That’s all he can do. It’s better if he just carries out his mission and then allows her to move on. To find someone else.

[Batter: I said no.]

His mission continued. This last run would prove to be the most difficult as he could not ignore the sobbing that ushered waves of pain and despair through his strings and into his soul.

Just once more. Then it would be over.

He entered the last room now. The room with the final switch.

The Judge confronted him.

One last time, he called out to the Player to stay by his side, to the end.

[Batter: Don’t do that. I need you in order to purify this world.]

[The Judge: The time has now come to render your final and futile judgement.]

But unlike every previous run, the strings binding him to his puppeteer suddenly vanished.

The Player had chosen The Judge.

For the first time, the Batter was well and truly alone.

No. Nonono.

However much pain he felt to be apart from his Player, however much agony it was to feel her anguish through this final run. All of it was better than this. This emptiness.

[Batter: Why?…]

[Player: This is the last time I can play. I wanted to see the other ending]

The Batter faintly heard his bat clatter against the floor as he collapsed to his knees. His arms were limp.

This was all wrong. This, this wasn’t the last feeling he was supposed to have before his death. He wanted to say goodbye. He wanted to feel her celestial presence until the end.

[Player: Batter? What’s wrong?]

Why wasn’t she pushing The Judge to attack? Why didn’t she just kill him already?

[Batter: I wanted…]

[Batter: …]

[Batter: I had hoped that you would stay with me to the end…]

But it was too late. The Player had made her choice, however much she regretted it now.

[Batter: Please]

[Batter: Just end my suffering]


End file.
